Police Don 'Intimidating' Navy Blue

By LAWRENCE VAN GELDER

Published: October 3, 1995

Autumn in New York has a new hue -- a navy blue blouse, the latest in cop couture, adorning the city's thousands of uniformed police officers.

On Sunday, the police bid adieu to the sky blue blouses that had been de rigueur for 22 years and donned the new shirts that carry an implicit P.C. (as in Police Commissioner's) message: intimidation.

When Police Commissioner William J. Bratton arrived from Boston early in 1994 he decided that, if clothes make the policeman or policewoman, it was time for a change in uniforms, time to drop those approachable pale blue blouses.

Ah, but how to set off such accessories as a Glock automatic, truncheon, silvery handcuffs and matching shield, black patent-leather notebook cover and matching shoes?

Not for nothing is New York the fashion capital of the world.

The Police Department studied the matter and decided that the answer was something -- how do you say? -- something dark and militaristic, something that hissed: Don't mess with me, buddy.

Enter the new dark blue blouses.

Exit the new dark blue blouses from the shelves of the Police Department's Equipment Section and such other outfitters of the police as Freilich Police Equipment at 211 East 21st Street in Manhattan, Uniforms by Parks Coats at 790 Third Avenue in the Sunset Park section of Brooklyn and F & J Police Equipment at 378 East 161st Street in the Melrose section of the Bronx.

"Like wildfire" was the way John Jaeger, the store manager at F & J, described sales. "I'm sold out."

"Very fast" was the description of sales offered by a man at Freilich who did not have time to give his name. Neither did the person who answered the phone at the Equipment Section; "We're very busy," he said.

Police on the street said that, at $35 apiece, the shirts could put a quick dent in their $1,000-a year (some $600 after taxes) uniform allowances. And adding to the bill are such little touches as hash marks on the sleeves or bars over the breast of the short-sleeve models, each indicating five years of service.

But a totally unscientific survey elicited favorable reaction.

"More professional; you look thinner and neater; less wrinkles," said Officer Rafael Jimenez of Midtown South on duty in Times Square yesterday.

"More professional," agreed his colleague, John Hebert, who did, however, point out a significant drawback to the dark blue blouses. "You can't eat powdered doughnuts with these anymore," he said.

"Got to go to croissants," Officer Jimenez said.

Photo: After 22 years, the old New York police sky blue blouses aregiving way to darker, more militaristic navy blue. Jeffrey Stella, Leonard Corbett and William Montgomery modeled the new look. (Steve Berman for The New York Times)